Our Crazy Life: Third Year
by A-Girl-of-Dark-Angels
Summary: Ellie, Natalie, Ella, Georgia, Phebe and Tamara are heading towards their Third year while Taylor and Jessica are heading towards their Second. There's a murderer on the loose and a cute, fluffy dog on the castle's grounds...AND FINALLY! A COMPETENT TEACHER! Squeal to Our Crazy Life: First Year and Second year. The picture is what Tamara looks like.
1. Chapter 1

**Woooo! new story!**

**I hope you all liked the previous stories, cause so far in the Harry Potter series, this is my favourite...apart from Goblet of Fire of course, seriously, NO ONE beats Mad Eye!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Snuffles**

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**The Knight Bus**

Ellie was a highly unusual girl in many ways. For one thing, she loved gruesome deaths, especially the ones that ended with fire. For another, she really wanted to do her homework, which was very unusual. And she also happened to be a witch.

She was lying on her stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over her head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. Ellie moved the tip of her eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as she looked for something that would help her write her essay, "Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless discuss" The quill paused at the top of a likely-looking paragraph.

Ellie moved her flashlight closer to the book, and read:

_Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than 47 times in various disguises._

"Well, that's just lovely" she whispered, skimming over the lines.

Suddenly there was a sound, a door was opened. Ellie quickly shoved her school stuff under her pillow and pretended to sleep.

Soon the footsteps got louder and louder, there a shadow underneath her door.

Her door was opened, revealing her sister, Yohanna.

"What do you want?" Ellie groaned, not wanting to get up from her bed.

"Your friends calling" she answered, holding up the telephone.

"Who is it?" Ellie asked.

"Puppy" Yohanna stated simply, then threw the phone at her and left, not worrying at all when the phone hit Ellie in the face. Or that she was screaming in pain.

Ellie rubbing her face; held the phone to her ear and answered.

"I'm trying to defuse a bomb, what do you want? Wha- Great, now the south East of England has blown up. I hope you're happy" she answered.

"Haha. Very funny" Came a voice, it was Jessica Horton, Ellie's best friend.

"Yeah yeah, what do you want" Ellie said.

"There is a bus with a shrunken head on it, do you want to come?" Ellie paused, and then called out to her father, Charles Rosier, loudly.

"CAN I GO ON A BUS THAT HAS A SHRUNKEN HEAD ON IT" she yelled, her voice slightly cracking halfway.

"GO TO SLEEP!" her father called back, obviously annoyed.

"NO! ANSWER MY QUESTION!" she yelled again. "SHUT THE FUCK UP! DON'T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!" Ellie heard her sister screech, banging her fist on the wall violently.

"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!"

"I LIVE HERE! IT'S MY BUSINESS TOO!"

"WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC! CAN I GO?" Ellie called again, wanting to get back to the subject at hand.

"YES! NOW GO TO BED!" her father finally called out, already tired of the shouting.

Ellie put the phone back against her ear.

"I can go" she answered, as if she didn't just have a giant screaming match with the whole household.

"I heard, also why did that 5th year; that Georgia fought against in the duelling club answer?" Ellie began to sweat, she hadn't thought this part through

"Ummm…She's…my…maid?"

"I heard that you little slut!" Yohanna called, pounding her fist against the wall behind her.

"How did she hear me?" Ellie whispered, suddenly terrified.

"Answer my question" Jessica pressed; she was getting impatient and curious…not a good combination

"Your evil…fine, she's my sister…Don't tell ANYONE. Not even the girls" Ellie told her friend, begging her slightly.

"Ok, and get up at 9:00am. We'll pick you up"

"Wait wha-"

She hung up.

Ellie stared at the phone blankly, wondering, _'What the fuck just happened?'_

The next day, Ellie got up at 8:00am. She got ready and waited out the front for Jessica with her trunk. She was currently reading a newspaper clipping. The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving.

_MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE:_

_Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. A delighted Mr Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank" The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend._

Ellie scanned the moving photograph, all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at her, standing in front of a large pyramid; Plump little Mrs Weasley; tail, balding Mr Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, a boy from her house, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

"Congratulations Ron, you hit puberty" Ellie deadpanned, folding up the newspaper.

Suddenly, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt in front of where Ellie was sitting. They belonged, as Ellie saw when she raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled _The Knight Bus._

Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly. "Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve -"The conductor stopped abruptly, having been interrupted by a stampede of girls, 7 girls to be precise.

"Hello Peasant" said a girl with jet black hair styled in a pixie cut. Ellie smirked.

"Hey Georgia, and I'm not a peasant" Ellie said, she got up from the sidewalk. In front of her were her friends Natalie, Tamara, Phebe, Taylor, Georgia, Ella and Jessica.

Ellie suddenly turned behind her and called out "_Janneke_! Get your ass out here! The bus is here!"

Yohanna suddenly came strutting out of their house, dragging their father behind her.

Ella leaned towards Ellie in a whisper. "Why is she coming with us?" "Because…she lives near me and she wants to go on the bus?" She lied, and she hoped that they believed her. Ella raised her eyebrows slightly at her, but didn't question it.

They all huddled on to the bus. Stan lifted Ellie's trunk up the steps of the bus. There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-panelled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.

"This is our driver, Ernie Prang" Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Ellie, who was now sitting down on her bed. "Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Ellie found herself flat on her bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling herself up, Ellie stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street.

Stan was watching Ellie's stunned face with great enjoyment. "How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" Ellie asked. "Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'" "Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute" Stan passed Ellie's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Ellie was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly delighted, it was like being in a roller-coaster.

Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mail-boxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak. "'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

Ellie turned towards her friends, Ella was hanging over the side of her bed, looking like she was going to vomit, while Natalie, Phebe, Tamara, Georgia, Jessica and Taylor were hanging on to the beds like their lives depended on it, but they had looks of pure enjoyment of their faces, so Ellie didn't worry.

Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Ellie from the front page. He looked strangely familiar to Jessica, Ella and Natalie. "That man!" Jessica said, forgetting that she was on an uncontrollable vehicle for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!" Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled. "Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, kid, where you been?" He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Jessica's face, removed the front page, and handed it to her.

"You oughta read the papers more, kid" Jessica held the paper up to the candlelight and read aloud to the girls:

_BLACK STILL AT LARGE:_

_ Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm" Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know " said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

The girls looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. He looked rather sad to them really.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching them read. "He murdered thirteen people?" said Tamara, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?" "Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?" "Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swivelled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at the girls. "Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said. "What, Voldemort?" said Georgia, without thinking. Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. "You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

Georgia gives Stan a look, silently saying, _'Really'_ in a sarcastic voice. She then replied to him.

"As you said I'm out of my…tree" the girls looked at her with looks of disappointment. "That was a lame comeback…"

"Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast ... " "So Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Natalie asked, trying to ease the tension. "Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say. Anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo, all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd besecond-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over. "Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper. "What?" said Phebe. "Laughed, " said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, I 'e went wiv em quiet as any fink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you ... After what he did... " "They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said ad 'appened, Ern?" "Gas explosion," grunted Ernie. "An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"Ernie suddenly shivered.

"Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles" Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Ellie leaned against the window of the Knight Bus.

The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Ellie lay, restless and bored, on her feather bed.

One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. Finally, the girls were the only passengers left. "Right then, girls, sir" said Stan, clapping his hands, "Where abouts in London?" "Diagon Alley," said Charles. "Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then"

_BANG_

They were thundering along Charing Cross Road.

Ellie sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little darker.

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. "Thank you," Tamara said to Ern. They jumped down the steps and headed inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old barman, who was quite bald and looked like a gummy walnut.

They paid for some rooms, seeing that it was too dark to go shopping, and heading to bed with their luggage. They roomed with their house mate, apart from Yohanna and Charles as they went into separate rooms.


	2. Chapter 2

**OMG! I am so so so sorry! it's been so long since I updated I know, but I had to do some assignments and other stuff, so I never really got around to updating, but I promise you, there will be another chapter tomorrow I'm lucky.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Snuffles**

**The Leaky Cauldron**

They stayed several days at the Leaky Calderon, the girls ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where they liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woollen balaclava.

After breakfast the girls would go out into the backyard, take out their wands, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bit, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.

They spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafes, where their fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("it's a lunascope, old boy-no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban").

They didn't have much to do, so they sat in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, finishing all their essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave them free sundaes every half an hour. Once they had refilled their money bags with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from their vaults at Gringotts, they had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once.

But the thing that tested their resolution most appeared in their least favourite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after they'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, the girls edged their way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until they glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom they had ever seen in his life. "Just came out - prototype -" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than the girls, who was winging off his father's arm. "Irish International Side's Just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favourites for the World Cup!"

A large witch in front of Natalie moved, and they were able to read the sign next to the broom:

_THE FIREBOLT_

_THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART PACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HANDNUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATIONNUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TOAERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINTPRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS ANDINCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST._

It was a beautiful broom…but the girls didn't know if they could fly, having had their chance blown by Harry Potter, a celebrity in the wizarding world, for riding a broom in their flying lesson while a teacher was not present.

They went to the Apothecary to replenish their store of potions ingredients, and as their school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, they visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, they had to buy their new schoolbooks, which would include those for their two new subjects:

_Natalie: Ancient Runes and Arithmancy _

_Ellie: Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures _

_Georgia: Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures _

_Tamara: Arithmancy and Divination_

_Ella: Divination and Care of Magical Creatures_

_Phebe: Divination and Care of Magical Creatures_

Ellie, Georgia, Ella and Phebe got a surprise as they looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold embossed spell books the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively. It was their Care of Magical Creatures textbook…

"It's going to be a bitch opening that." Ellie commented, gaping at the book slightly. The others nodded, Georgia turned to Ellie, silently whispering "We can use it on Malfoy." Devious and evil smirks were soon plastered onto their faces.

As they entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward him. "Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?" "Yes," said Taylor, "I need-" "Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing her aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"I've been bitten five times already this morning -"he said as he gave them their monstrous books after a long fight with the books of literature. A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart. "Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility - cost a fortune, and we never found them... Well... Is there anything else I can help you with?" "Yes," said Natalie, looking down her booklist, "We need _Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky_-" "Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading the girls into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling.

A small table was stacked with volumes such as _Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself against Shocks_ and _Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul_. "Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black bound book. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods - palmistry, crystal balls and bird entrails"

The manager pressed Unfogging the Future into the girl's hands. "Anything else?" he said. "Yes," said Phebe. She pulled put the girls list of school supplies "Er – We need _Intermediate Transfiguration, Numerology and Grammatica_, 3 _Ancient Runes Made Easy,_ _Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms _and _Rune Dictionary, _2 _Spellman's Syllabary_ and 8 _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three_" the girls emerged from Flourish and Blotts thirty minutes later with their new books under their arms and made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where they was going and bumping into several people.

They tramped up the stairs to their rooms, went inside, and tipped their books onto their separate beds. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Ellie could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle Street and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley.

As the days slipped by, the girls started looking wherever they went for any sign of a Hogwarts student. Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. The girls saw Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, Ellie and Jessica's fellow Gryffindors, at the entrance to Diagon Ally; they also ran into Draco Malfoy, a foul boy from Georgia and Phebe's house. They didn't stop to chat.

As it turned out, Harry was staying in the Leaky Calderon as well…apparently he blew up his Aunt. Ellie and Georgia congratulated him on this fact.

Yohanna just gave him a scolding look at first before asking him why, after he explained the situation she asked why he didn't just transfigure her into a cat, so her dog could chase her, instead of her almost flying into space. He thought that over for a little bit and agreed that it might have been a better idea than blowing her up; he thought that she really could use the exercise. Grinning at the boy, she gave him a pat on the head and reminded him that, yes, he does have imagination, and he just needs to let it out.

Soon they would be back at Hogwarts, along with a new defence against the dark arts teacher. The girls were hoping for a competent one this year, for if he wasn't…they would personally dispose of him…or her.

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**I know it's short, my creativity is going away from me cause I'm getting distracted by these other stories I'm working on, nut I hope you liked it and please...**

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**REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**As I promised, a new chapter for you all!**

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**The Dementor**

The next day, it was the 1st of September. The day they went back to Hogwarts.

"WAKE UP!" Yohanna screamed, shaking her sister, Ellie awake. Ellie stirred in her sleep, but did not open her eyes.

"What do you want?" she slurred, sleep still dripping through her voice.

"First day of school" Yohanna stated, before she walked out the door.

Ellie shot up from her bed, her long, straight hair was in tangles. She looked at her clock on the bedside table, and saw it was 8:00am.

She hurriedly got up, had a shower, brushed her teeth and put on a pair of blue jeans and a plain black shirt with the Alchemy symbol for Death on it.

When she arrived down stairs for breakfast, her friends, sister and father had just begun to eat.

She ate in silence.

After breakfast, they brought their entire luggage downstairs to the front. They caught the Knight bus again to Kings Cross station, despite Charles protests, he could never say no to his daughters.

"Right then," Charles said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Yohanna. "Charles strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Yohanna's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 121 that had just arrived at platform 10.

They both casually leaned against the barrier. After a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid brick wall. The girl's paired up, Ellie with Georgia, Phebe with Natalie, Tamara with Ella and Jessica with Taylor. They all did the same thing as the first pair.

As they reached the other side, they saw the metal scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

They set off down the corridor on the train as it started to pick up speed, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. It was their usual spot.

Unfortunately, it had an occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. The girls checked on the threshold.

The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey.

As they started to put their stuff down, the door opened again to reveal Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Bugger off, there's no room" Georgia told them. Their faces showed their disappointment.

"There no room anywhere Georgia" Natalie said, defending the trio.

"But there is 9 of us already in here" Ellie said, siding with Georgia, Tamara pulled out her wand and muttered a spell. The room suddenly enlarged.

"Damn" Ellie and Georgia whispered, they really didn't want to share a compartment with them.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as the trio sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window and Georgia.

"How should we know" Jessica said. "We just got here, and he's sleeping!"

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione.

"How d'you know that?"

"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.

"Only one thing open" Phebe said. "Defence against the Dark Arts" the girls, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defence against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year...and were idiots. There were rumours that the job was jinxed.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway..." He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?" Harry looked warily at the girls.

"Earplugs anyone?" Taylor said, pulling out 8 pair of earplugs. She handed them out and soon they couldn't hear a word of what Harry was saying.

When Harry finished speaking, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. Harry gave a signal to the girls, silently telling them that they could take out the ear plugs.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. The girls assumed they were talking about Sirius Black. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too"

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I Mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too... "

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly. A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They all looked around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," Ella said.

Ron stood up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled a Pocket Sneak 'O' scope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.

"Is that a Sneak 'O' scope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look. "Yeah... Mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry"

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly. "No! Well... I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys... But how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneak 'O' scope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up" He nodded toward Professor Lupin.

Ron stuffed the Sneak 'O' scope into a particularly horrible pair of old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me"

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "But that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honey Dukes"

"What's that?" said Hermione. "It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything... Pepper Imps – they make you smoke at the mouth – and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next -" Ellie, Georgia, Jessica and Taylor started for lick their lips, just thinking of what the sweets would taste like.

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -"

"- and massive sherbert balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.

Hermione looked around at Harry.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

"'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out"

"What d'you mean?" said Ron. "I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either" Ron looked horrified.

"You're not allowed to come? But – no way – McGonagall or someone will give you permission -"

Harry gave a hollow laugh while Jessica and Ellie snorted. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict.

"– or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —" Georgia and Ellie's eyes lit up at this small information. Every passage he says…

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose —"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"But if we're with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione. "Black wouldn't dare —"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street; do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?"

She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of it!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

"Don't hurt the Kitty!" Taylor shouted.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.

At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food"

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.

"Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver"

"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"

"Oh yes, he just totally dropped dead, look his pulse isn't even there" Georgia said sarcastically, sending Ron into a panic.

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Harry passed her.

He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscley; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door.

"Potty and the Weasel" Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.

Georgia coughed; Malfoy turned his gaze to her and the other girls.

"I see, Herkins, Bowin. I will never understand why you associate yourselves with these-"

"Peasants" Georgia said; Ellie glared at her.

Malfoy smiled slightly.

"Exactly"

"Queen's need peasants" she continued. "Or there is no order in the world"

Malfoy sneered at her.

"And you think yourself a queen?" he asked her.

"Of course, and honey you should see me in a crown" Georgia smirked along with her friends, remembering what she saw in the Mirror of Erised

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," Malfoy said to Ron.

"Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort.

"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"

Ron made a violent gesture in mid-air. Georgia smirked.

"I'll help" she said to him.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful…"

But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.

"I'm starting to worry for this man" Ella stated, the girls nodded in agreement.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from in front of Ellie.

"It's the end Weasley, pucker up and kiss your arse goodbye" Georgia said.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron! That was my foot!"

Harry went back to his seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"What do you think?"

There was a squeaking sound, and Ellie saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…"

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry —"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"As I said, it's the end"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Ellie could hear movements in his corner.

None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Ellie's eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Ellie's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Ellie felt her own breath catch in her chest. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart…

"None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go." She heard. But she couldn't pinpoint who had said it.

But the dark figure didn't move. Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand, and the dark figure turned around and glided away…

"What just happened?" Tamara asked, voicing what was on all of their minds.

"No idea, let's not do that again" Phebe said. They all nodded in agreement.

The Hogwarts Express started moving again and the lights had come back on.

Then they noticed Harry on the floor. He looked unconscious.

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Hermione asked him frantically, Georgia started to slap him in the face.

"W-what?" He said groggily. Georgia slapped him one final time before returning to her seat.

Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

"Although if you want some screaming, we could pinch Ellie" Jessica said, pinching her fingers together.

"No!" Ellie shouted at her.

Harry looked around the bright compartment. "But I heard screaming —"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.

"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"I don't get it… what happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.

"Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around, I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face — and you — you —"

"You looked like you were having a seizure," Ellie said. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though…"

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"

Phebe smiled slightly. "We're not supposed to take candy from strangers" she said, Lupin smiled slightly at her as well, his face showed no sign of being untrustworthy.

Everyone took a bite from the chocolate, and to their great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of their fingers and toes.

"It's magic chocolate!" Ellie proclaimed, staring brightly at the brown piece of heavenly goodness.

Lupin laughed at her expression, but shook his head. "No, not magic chocolate, though it does seem like that sometimes"

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," Lupin continued. "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. The girls, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you guys?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. The girls followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Ellie could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mould and straw. Ellie felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Georgia and the others looked about the same.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Ellie saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes until they had passed the gates, silently praying that they didn't try and attack them again.

The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Jessica and Tamara were leaning out of the tiny windows, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and they all got out.

Suddenly, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in her ear.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er —Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

Ellie turned to her friends, but more at Phebe and Georgia, as Malfoy was in their house, Slytherin.

"I want to kill him" she said simply, but on the inside she was planning his death in the slowest way possible. Chinese water torture it is…

The eight of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; the girls followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!"

Behind the girls was their Transfiguration teacher, and Jessica and Ellie's head of House, Professor McGonagall. She was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles.

Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd.

Inside the hall, it was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in mid-air.

The sorting began as the girls took their seats at their separated tables. When Ellie looked towards the staff table, she could have sworn she saw Lupin looking at her and her friends in disbelief.

They didn't pay that much attention to the sorting, as no one they knew was being sorted. The only thing that was really noted was that Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was the one to do the sorting instead of McGonagall.

Just after the sorting hat was put away, Harry and Hermione returned to the hall. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry.

"Wonder what that was all about?" Ellie muttered to Jessica. She was about to answer, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and she broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why the girls respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as the girls watched him beaming around at the students, they felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Ellie and Jessica glanced over to Harry.

"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Ellie and Jessica, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Ellie and Jessica among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" the two Gryffindor girls heard Ron hissed in Harry's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence against the Dark Arts job, but even Ellie, who liked Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, shallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Ellie knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Ellie and Jessica stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Ellie leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"Go Hagrid!" Ellie roared. "Thank merlin I chose Care of Magical Creature for my elective."

Ellie and Jessica were two of the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Ellie, suddenly ravenous, helped herself to everything she could stomach and began to eat.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed.

The Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Ellie climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Ellie, looking around, felt she was home…or in the loony bin.

"Lavender! Get away from my bed!" She yelled, throwing her Remembrall towards her dorm mate, hitting her square on the forehead. All was right in the world…or not.

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**Ahh Lavender... you should really learn not to go near other people's beds...**

**Well, hope you liked the chapter and please...**

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**REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Fuck Yeah! New chapter! Also..guess what...**

**IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!**

**YES FOLKS, I HAVE OFFICIALLY TURNED 16! and my brothers birthday is tomorrow!**

**And my family and I are depressed. Dude, my grandmother died yesterday...that's not a good thing to wake up to. Literally, I was asleep when my dad just came into my room and told me my nan was dead.  
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**God bless you Nanny, you will be eternally missed by your kids, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and Poppy.**

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**Talons and Tea Leaves **

When Ellie and Jessica entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," Georgia said as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. "He's been doing that for the past 30 minutes…"

"I feel so sorry for you" Jessica told Georgia and Phebe, the others nodded in sympathy.

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. Harry, Ron and Hermione just entered the hall. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

"_Malfoy,_" hissed Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy. Georgia smirked; she was going to have some fun teasing him…

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors…"

"Yohanna was happy though, she loves those things, she does. Says she'd love to become friends with it, even tried to shake its hand" Fred said, rubbing his face at the memory.

"She did, didn't she? Sometimes I worry for her, she had a good time laughing at Malfoy too, nearly keeled over from trying to hold it in" George laughed, looking over at the Slytherin table, at said girl.

Well, that's sounds like her sister alright, making friends with Grim reapers and laughing at others suffering…

They turned back to the group

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse.

Hermione was examining her new schedule.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.

"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."

"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And —" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look— underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."

"Well then —"

"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.

"But —"

"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

With that, Ron had a defeated look on his face; Jessica patted him on the back. "It's best not to question it…"

Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.

"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready… hope it's okay… me, a teacher… hones'ly…"

He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.

"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.

The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"

They finished breakfast hastily, and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed the girls into the Entrance Hall.

Natalie, Georgia and Ellie headed to their Ancient Runes class, while Ella, Phebe and Tamara headed to Divination, following after Harry, Ron and Hermione.

The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.

"There's — got — to — be — a — short — cut," Ron panted, as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.

"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.

"That's south." Ella said. "Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window…"

Phebe was watching the painting. A fat, dappled-grey pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. The girls were used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but they always enjoyed watching them. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.

"Aha!" he yelled, seeing Harry, Ron, Ella, Tamara, Phebe and Hermione. "What villains are these that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"

They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed face down in the grass.

"Are you all right?" said Tamara, moving closer to the picture.

"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!"

The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.

"Listen," said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"

"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"

He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle ladies! On! On!"

And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.

They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armour. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.

"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.

Puffing loudly, Harry, Ron, Ella, Tamara, Phebe and Hermione climbed the tightly spiralling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.

"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks.

"Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"

"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental."

They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.

"'Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher,'" Harry read. "How're we supposed to get up there?"

As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet.

"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first.

When Tamara, Ella and Phebe entered, they saw it was the strangest-looking classroom they had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups. The class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.

"Where is she?" Ron said.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."

The girl's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.

"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Phebe, Ella and Tamara sat themselves around the same round table.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you… Books can take you only so far in this field…"

At these words, Phebe, Ella and Tamara grinned at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing's, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," said Neville tremulously.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."

Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.

"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our numbers will leave us for ever."

A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.

"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"

Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.

"Thank you, my dear. "Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."

Lavender trembled.

"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," — she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."

Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind… thank you…"

When Ella, Phebe and Tamara had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.

"Okay," said Tamara as they all opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"

"Brown Mush," said Ella. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making her feel sleepy and stupid.

"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.

Ella tried to pull herself together.

"Right, you've got…something that looks like a club" she consulted Unfogging the Future. "That means you're going to have 'an attack' — sorry about that — but there's a thing that could be the cross. Umm…that means 'trials and suffering'… so you're going to have an attack and have trails of suffering after it…"

This sent a shiver down Tamara's spine.

"My turn…" said Phebe. Phebe peered into Ella's teacup, her forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a sun again, so you're going to have happiness…" she said. "And a five-leaf clover…"

Professor Trelawney suddenly appeared behind them, making them jump.

"You're going to have a horrible rash tomorrow morning, dear" she told Ella. They jumped slightly as she appeared, utterly freaked out by her sudden presence.

"She's crazy…" Ella stated, clearly unamused. Phebe and Tamara nodded their agreement.

Ella then looked into Phebe's cup.

"You've got a skull… that means 'danger in your path'" Ella turned the cup sideways. "You've also got a cross…'trials and suffering' again" Ella looked up from the cup.

"Your life sucks" she told Phebe and Tamara couldn't help but agree. Those were terrible signs…Phebe put her head in her hands.

"Let me see that, my dear," Professor Trelawney said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.

Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counter clockwise.

"The falcon… my dear, you have a deadly enemy."

"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.

"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."

Tamara, Phebe and Ella stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it.

"The club… an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup…"

"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.

"The skull… danger in your path, my dear…"

Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.

There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.

"My dear boy — my poor dear boy — no — it is kinder not to say — no — don't ask me…"

"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup.

"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."

"The what?" said Harry.

He wasn't the only who didn't understand; Dean shrugged at him, Lavender and Ella looked puzzled, and Phebe just looked confused. But nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror, Tamara included.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of death!"

Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.

"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly.

Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.

"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."

Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.

"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.

"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry. Nobody seemed to want to look at him.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice.

"Yes… please pack away your things…"

Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear," she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."

Tamara, Phebe and Ella descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, and then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.

They chose a seat right at the very back of the room, where their friends were sitting.

"Harry's going to die" Ella said, as she sat down next to Natalie. The other three who were not in Divination, gaped at her, but then Georgia and Ellie started to laugh.

"I knew it!"

They were listening to Professor McGonagall, who was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals). When she transformed herself into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes, no one applauded.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Harry, finally.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney…"

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"

When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

"I still don't know why you guys took that class," Ellie said as she was eating a meat pie at the Ravenclaw table. "There's no such thing as 'telling the future'"

"Neville's cup" Tamara repeated Lavender's question.

"He's clumsy, anyone can predict that."

"…How do you think he's going to die?" Georgia asked, swirling her bowl of stew.

"Sirius Black." they all said, making everyone around them jump.

"Just wait, he's come into the school and slit his throat." Ellie and Georgia said, making the Ravenclaws around them uneasy. One second year girl with dirty blonde hair came over to them. She was wearing rather large Radish earrings

"You have Wrackspurt's" she said, pointing to Phebe.

"What's a Wrackspurt?" Taylor asked kindly. Bless her soul…

"A Wrackspurt is invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy; I thought I felt one zooming around in here." The girl explained dreamily.

"…You are very strange" Natalie said. The others nodded, but they liked this girl.

"That's nice" she said smiling. She started to walk back to her seat, but Georgia and Ellie grabbed her by the back of her robes and pulled her in-between them.

"What's your name?" Georgia asked.

"Luna Lovegood" the strange girl said.

"So…what other creatures don't we know about?" Ellie asked her, smiling slightly.

"Aquavirius Maggot's, Blibbering Humdinger's, Heliopath's, Nargle's, Umgubular Slashkilter and Crumple-Horned Snorkack's" Luna said.

"What's a Nargle?" Jessica asked.

As it turned out, Nargles are known to infest mistletoe and to be mischievous thieves. Luna Lovegood claims that her Butterbeer cork necklace and her Dirigible plum earrings keep the Nargles away and that her papers and shoes were taken by Nargles. They felt slightly bad for the girl, so when it was time to go to class again, they, as in Natalie and Tamara, would keep an eye on her things, making sure that Luna's roommates didn't do anything they would regret.

Georgia, Ellie, Phebe and Ella set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class, while Natalie and Tamara went to their Arithmancy class.

They walked in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

In front of them, Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Georgia picked up a rock from the ground and threw at Malfoy's head, but when he turned around; Georgia was talking about the Nargle's with Phebe.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one moment, Ellie and Georgia thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; they really wanted to go back in there. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books —"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"I have"

Everyone turned their heads to the voice.

It was Georgia.

"How?" came Seamus's voice, Georgia pulled out her book.

It was shaking in fear. Everyone started to back away from her. Georgia smirked at them all, pleased with their fear.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," Hagrid said after he had everyone's attention again.

"Look —"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Ellie. She nodded at him fanatically; she thought it was funny too!

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast.

"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an'… an'… now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…"

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.

"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you —"

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

While everyone was distracted, Georgia went over to Malfoy and hit him on the head.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

The girls could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer…"

No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously. The girls practically ran to the fence.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Ellie had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.

"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."

"Right — who wants ter go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer, while Georgia and Ellie put their hands up eagerly. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look. He must not of seen Ellie and Georgia's hands.

"We'll do it," said Harry. Ellie and Georgia cheered. He saw them!

There was an intake of breath from behind them, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"

Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence along with Ellie and Georgia.

"Good man, Harry! Yeh too girls!" roared Hagrid. "Right then — let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak. And Girls, yeh get Snowflake and Nox"

He untied one of the chains, pulled a gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath.

Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.

"Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"

Hagrid went back over to the chains again and pulled a snow white Hippogriff and a black Hippogriff.

Ellie and Georgia fixed their eyes immediately on their Hippogriff's.

Snowflake and Nox had turned their great, sharp head and was staring into their eyes with blue and black eyes. "Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry, Ellie, Georgia… now, bow."

Ellie gave a short bow, but kept her eyes on her Hippogriff, she didn't feel much like exposing her back to the Hippogriff. There was the possibility of it charging at her and killing her…

The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at her. She thought it was going to charge at her, but after a few seconds, it started to bow, along with Georgia's.

"Ah, good job girls" said Hagrid, sounding worried. They turned their heads to see that Harry's Hippogriff had still not bowed. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —"

But then the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Ellie and Georgia moved slowly toward their Hippogriff's and reached out toward them. They patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it.

The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.

"Righ' then, Harry, Ellie, Georgia" said Hagrid. "I reckon they migh' let yeh ride um!"

This was more than Ellie had bargained for. She really hated heights…

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, they won' like that…"

Ellie put her foot on the top of Snowflake's wing and hoisted herself onto its back. Snowflake stood up. Ellie wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of her was covered with feathers.

"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters.

Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Ellie; she just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before she was soaring upward.

The Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of her, catching her under her legs and making her feel she was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under her fingers and she didn't dare get a stronger grip; she now felt herself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.

Snowflake flew her once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; it was a wondrous flight, but all things must come to an end; she leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling she was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. She just managed to hold on and push himself straight again.

"Good work, Harry! Ellie! Georgia!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered.

"Okay, who else wants a go?"

Emboldened by Harry, Georgia and Ellie's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Phebe and Ella practiced on a greyish one, while Ellie and Georgia watched with Harry.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Ellie and Georgia to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff.

"Are you, you great ugly brute?"

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"If you were dying, you wouldn't be talking!" Georgia shouted at him as she helped him up.

Hagrid had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Georgia lifted Malfoy. As they passed, Ellie saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass. Hagrid ran with Georgia, up the slope toward the castle.

Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.

"They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.

"Put them down! You...you…clotpoles!" Ellie shouted at them.

"Yeah, you're not scaring anyone!" Ella shouted as well.

They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.

"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase.

The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room, Phebe following them (she really didn't want to though), and Ella headed to the Hufflepuff common room; Ellie proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower with Dean.

"You think he'll be all right?" Ellie said to Dean.

"Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second." said Dean.

"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" Ellie said, looking worried. "Hope Malfoy gets better though…even if he is a prat."

They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.

"They're not going to fire him, are they?" Ellie asked Dean as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"They're not, Hagrid knows more about magical creature then anyone one else we know." Dean tried to reassure her. She gave a small smile to him, making him blush. She didn't seem to notice.

Georgia and Phebe were watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle were huddled together, deep in conversation. Phebe was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had been injured.

"How was Malfoy?" Ella asked Georgia, as she was the only one to see him off to the Hospital wing.

"He's fine, in a bleeding from the arm sort of way" Georgia replied, as if it wasn't a big deal. "He's arms covered in bandages, and he's moaning in agony"

"In other words, he's faking it." Taylor said, Georgia nodded.

"Well, this was an interesting first day back." Jessica said, trying to lighten the mood, it didn't seem to be working.

Ellie and Jessica went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and Ellie tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given the third years and Jessica doing her homework from Charms, but all they could think about was Hagrid.

* * *

**In remembrance of my nan, here is a poem.**

**_"My eyes filled up with tears as I heard the news_**

**_It never occurred to me, how much I could lose_**

**_I find myself wishing that it wasn't real_**

**_Every time I think about it, pain is all I can feel_**

**_Tears fall from my eyes, I can barely see_**

**_But my heart tells me that she'll always be with me_**

**_I'm_****_ glad she feels no pain now-she lives in a perfect land_**

**_I can still feel the soft touch on my shoulder of her loving hand_**

**_I lie in bed and cry at night_**

**_And I don't feel any better in the morning light_**

**_And I will love and miss her forever_**

**_Until the day we are again together._**

**_Together in that perfect place above,_**

**_Filled with caring, sharing and love_**

**_But until that day comes- I will wipe my tears away._**

**_And hopefully see her again someday"_**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Please Review.**


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